(BBC) – Kevin Durant scored 49 points as Brooklyn Nets beat Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Durant also came up with 17 rebounds 10 assists to inspire victory after Nets were 17 points down in the third quarter. He hit a three-pointer and three free throws late on to seal the win.
Nets coach Steve Nash said Durant’s display “makes him one of the all-time greats”.
Milwaukee’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who top-scored for the Bucks with 34 points, called Durant “the best player in the world right now”.
LeBron James, widely regarded as one of basketball’s finest players of all-time, also praised Durant on social media.
In what Nets coach Nash said would go down as one of Durant’s “signature” games, the power forward played all 48 minutes, shot 16-of-23 from the floor and finished just shy of his play-off, career-high 50 points. It did, however, set a franchise record for points in a play-off game, surpassing Vince Carter’s mark of 43 points set 15 years ago.
He also posted his second career post-season triple-double and joined Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Charles Barkley and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic as the fourth player with at least 40 points, 15 rebounds 10 assists in a play-off game.
Nets relied heavily on Durant in game five of their best-of-seven series after Kyrie Irving was injured in the previous game and James Harden had a quiet night on his return from injury.